The Archive, established by YCW (Holdings) in 2013 is tasked with the collection, preservation and dissemination of materials (manuscripts, images, ephemera and audio) related to the history of the Australian YCW, which was founded in Melbourne in 1941. The Collection in currently housed in Fitzroy, Melbourne, however custodianship with be passed to the State Library of Victoria in 2017 - 2018.

Contact Information

Opening Hours

On Request

Entry Fee

Nil

Location

537 Brunswick Street Fitzroy North Victoria

The Collection contains manuscripts, photographs and ephemera related to the activities of the YCW movement from 1941 to the present day. The bulk of the materials are from the period 1950 to 1990. Whilst the collection is mostly comprised of correspondence, agenda, minutes and publications produced by the Australian and International YCW, it also contains publications and documents produced by other twentieth century. The YCW Collection is an invaluable source for researchers interested in exploring work, faith and methodologies of education in Australia.

jim keenan
22 May 2018 8:32 PM

Hi Do you have any records relating to the Clifton Hill YCW Football and cricket teams 1958-63.
Thanks Jim

YCW Flag - Fatima Portugal

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Small canvas pennant featuring a caricature of people praying at the base of the Virgin Mary with a small village in the background.

Historical information

This canvas pennant was produced by the Portuguese YCW and given to participants on the 'pilgrimage' to Rome in 1957, for the first gathering of the International Young Christian Workers. YCWs from various nations exchanged pennants in Rome, gathered as souvenirs of the event.

Significance

This is a rare piece, collected by Bill Armstrong, AO who was one of the young workers who visited Rome in 1957. When situated along side the pennants of other participating nations, it symbolises the internationalism of the YCW movement.

Black and White Photographs

YCW Flag - KAJ Flanders

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Orange, Red and White Small Pennant featuring a picture of the World marking with the YCW flag Rome.

Historical information

This canvas pennant was produced by the KAJ Falnders and given to participants on the 'pilgrimage' to Rome in 1957, for the first gathering of the International Young Christian Workers. YCWs from various nations exchanged pennants in Rome, gathered as souvenirs of the event.

Significance

This is a rare piece, collected by Bill Armstrong, AO who was one of the young workers who visited Rome in 1957. When situated along side the pennants of other participating nations, it symbolises the internationalism of the YCW movement.

Inscriptions & Markings

In the centre of the pennant are the letters KAJ and on the edges of the pennant it reads: 'Internationale Romebedevaart'. In the tip of the Pennant are the letters FIDRA.
On the reverse side in the centre are the letters VKAJ.

Two Copies of The Co-operator Newspaper - The Co-operator

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

One complete edition of The Co-Operator newspaper published March-April 1964 and a fragment of an edition dated 1962.

Historical information

The YCW had established cooperatives in the late 1940s, a manifestation of the movement's commitment to deliver a service for every need. The Co-Ooperator was a newspaper produced by the YCW sharing information regarding its activities in the co-operative sector. The extended publication details of the newspaper are unknown and this complete copy and fragment are the only surviving editions collected by the Archive.

YCW Leaders' Programme Booklets 1944 - 1948 - YCW Leaders' Programme

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Series of six booklets.

Historical information

In 1944 the YCW launched its first national campaign. These campaigns were supported by Leaders' Programme booklets, produced by the National Executive and sent to the leaders of all parish branches around the country. With these Programme guides, leaders were asked to shepherd members through the campaign over a period of months. In this collection, the booklets cover: The Mass; Communism; Family; Home; Social Responsibility.

Historical information

Newspaper Advertisement (withdrawn) - Golden Gloves 1958

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Historical information

The Australian YCW ran a number of sporting services throughout its history. One of these was the amateur boxing Golden Gloves competition in Melbourne between 1945 and c.1960.

Significance

This promotional flyer produced for the 1958 competition was withdrawn from distribution due to a typesetting error on the reverse page, where it suggests accommodation could be found at Mulqueen and Sons rather than the Lomond Hotel.

Vinal Record and Booklet - Group Devotion Action For World Development

Historical information

This vinal record includes devotional prayers in an audio format to guide study groups in prayer. The record has Devotional 1 on the A side and Devotional 2 on the B side. The accompanying booklet contains additional prayer script between a group "Leader" and the "group members" for Devotionals 1, 2, 3 and 4. The disc for Devotionals 3 and 4 is not currently available.

Significance

This Vinal Record belonged to Frank Sheehan (Member of the Victorian YCW leadership team).

Inscriptions & Markings

Red Vinal Record - Insribed with "Group Devotion" and "Action For World Developemt" a and a picture of 2 Stick Figure people standing together.
Booklet - Insribed with "Action for World Development" and "Study Group Devotions" and a picture of 2 Stick Figure people standing together.

YCW Newsletter April 1971 - YCW Newsletter

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Black and white printed newsletter with photos over four pages.

Historical information

Throughout its history, the YCW movement produced numerous publications for members and for the wider community. Some of these were regular papers or newsletters with high production values. Others were short lived efforts, produced 'in house' on low budgets. Reading across the collections, these public expressions of YCW communication provide insight into the movement's methods, the concerns of young women and men of the period, and how these shifted over time and across location.

Significance

This four page document reveals the key concerns of the YCW movement in Melbourne in 1971; internal migration from regional Australia to the cities and road safety. It features photographs taken by chaplain Jim Nippard.

NCGM and YCW Boys Photographs

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

9 black and white photos from the National Catholic Girls Movement's (NCGM) Easter float parade, and YCW Boys social events.

Historical information

In the early stage of the Australian Young Christian Workers Movement the male and female members were separated into NCGM and YCW Boys. This was a reflection of society at the time as both groups campaigned on different youth realities to reflect their members, for example during the YCW's apprenticeship campaign YCW Boys looked at the topic of labourers and airport personal, while NCGM campaigned for changes to hairdressing apprenticeships.

Photograph

Historical information

Blazer

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Men's green blazer with pocket trim and YCW patch.

Historical information

During the 1950s, it became a practice for YCW and NCGM embers to wear a YCW blazer on formal occasions. These blazers would feature the YCW patch with the branch name embroidered below. Members would often recommission second hand school blazers as YCW wear.

Fooball Team Photograph - 1958 Collingwood YCW Football Team

YCW Flag - Unknown Flag

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Small white pennant with red cross featuring a stalk of wheat. Design repeats on the reverse.

Historical information

This canvas pennant was produced by an international JOC and given to participants on the 'pilgrimage' to Rome in 1957 for the first gathering of the International Young Christian Workers. YCWs from various nations exchanged pennants in Rome, gathered as souvenirs of the event.

Significance

This is a rare piece, collected by Bill Armstrong, AO who was one of the young workers who visited Rome in 1957. When situated along side the pennants of other participating nations, it symbolises the internationalism of the YCW movement.

Inscriptions & Markings

On the left edge of the pennant are the letters 'JOC'. Letters repeat on the right edge on the reverse.

Bush Fire Working Party Registration Form (Blank)

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Document printed on pink paper

Historical information

In 1962, bushfires in the Dandenong Ranges (Melbourne, Victoria) took the lives of 32 people and saw the destruction of many homes. St Andrews was one of the places affected, and the Melbourne YCW (Boys) contributed to the re-building effort by providing skilled trades on a voluntary basis.

Significance

In the days before online communication, this proforma was distributed to YCW members either by post or through the channel of the branch meeting to garner volunteers to the bushfire recovery effort. The document reveals the coordinating role of the diocesan team based at headquarters, and how the YCW (Boys) in Melbourne understood it's role as a service organisation. This document is part of a broader set of documents exploring this effort, including a subsequent report evaluating the effort and letters of thanks.

Historical information

Past YCW member Peter Cox created this scrapbook to document the reach the YCW Road Safety Campaign had in State wide newspapers from 1970-1973. The campaigned advocated for youth education and public enforcement on wearing of seatbelts, drink driving limits, Australia's drinking culture and decreasing the Victorian road toll.

Significance

The road safety campaign undertaken by the YCW in the 1960-1970s was headed by Peter Cox.

Inscriptions & Markings

Sunday Sport Campaign Collection 1959 - 1961

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Discoloured newspaper clippings and documents. Some with sharp cut edges and others attached to non-related articles.

Historical information

Between 1959 and 1962, the Melbourne YCW (Boys) participated in local campaigns to allow sports to be played on municipal ovals on a Sunday. A key battleground was in the suburb of Camberwell in 1959. This collection of material relates to the campaign and includes newspaper clippings, leaflets and internal reports and memos. It is a sample of the materials held in collection (Contact the Archive to access MO_4_24). It features materials produced by the YCW and other parties involved in the campaign.

Significance

The debate around Sunday sport campaign revealed Victoria's growing suburban sporting culture, the developing concept of youth, and the YCW position on leisure as a break from work rather than 'dour' Sabbatarianism.

Black and White Photograph

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Historical information

In 1960, the World Assembly of Youth (WAY) conference was held in Accra, Ghana. The Australian YCW sent two delegates to the conference, Ernie Smith (back row, end right) and Betty King (second row, third from left). Around 400 representatives of youth organisations - including national YCW movements - from around the globe attended the conference. This photograph shows the YCW delegates the WAY 1960.

Significance

Father Ernie Smith, initiated the establishment of the Sacred Heart Mission in St Kilda, Melbourne. This photograph is copied from his personal collection.

Significance

YCW Flag - Argentinian Flag

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Decorated pennant with black background

Historical information

This canvas pennant was produced by the Argentinian YCW and given to participants on the 'pilgrimage' to Rome in 1957, for the first gathering of the International Young Christian Workers. YCWs from various nations exchanged pennants in Rome, gathered as souvenirs of the event.

Significance

This is a rare piece, collected by Bill Armstrong AO who was one of the young workers who visited Rome in 1957. When situated along side the pennants of other participating nations, it symbolises the internationalism of the YCW movement.

Inscriptions & Markings

Enba Newsletters - Enba

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Five editions of newsletter

Historical information

Enba was a newsletter produced by the Melbourne Executive of the YCW (Girls) distributed to members in the Melbourne Diocese in 1963 - 1965.Throughout its history, the YCW movement produced numerous publications for members and for the wider community. Some of these were regular papers or newsletters with high production values. Others were short lived efforts, produced 'in house' on low budgets. Reading across the collections, these public expressions of YCW communication provide insight into the movement's methods, the concerns of young women and men of the period, and how these shifted over time and across location.

Significance

Enba contains references to campaigns on work; reports from branches in the city of Melbourne including sport and social events; profiles of Diocesan Executive Members and Presidents; letters from Chaplains including a report from Fr Brian Burke; dates regarding Pre-Cana Seminars and Summer Schools.

Blazer

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Navy blue blazer with YCW insignia on pocket.

Historical information

During the 1950s, it became a practice for YCW and NCGM embers to wear a YCW blazer on formal occasions. These blazers would feature the YCW patch with the branch name embroidered below. Members would often recommission second hand school blazers as YCW wear.

Significance

This blazer features the Parkside branch name. Parkside was a branch in the Adelaide diocese.

Inscriptions & Markings

Booklet - I Pledge Myself to Save Young Workers

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

9pp. colour booklet

Historical information

This booklet was produced by the national YCW as a means of engaging new and existing members. Divided into sections, the booklet places the Australian movement in an international context and includes pictures of founding chaplain of the Australian movement, Fr. Lombard.

YCW Flag - Australia

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Small, felt, green and gold pennant flag featuring the logo of the Australian YCW, superimposed over a map of Australia.

Historical information

This felt pennant was produced by the Australian YCW and given to participants on the 'pilgrimage' to Rome in 1957, for the first gathering of the International Young Christian Workers. YCWs from various nations exchanged pennants in Rome, gathered as souvenirs of the event.

Significance

This is a rare piece, collected by Bill Armstrong, AO who was one of the young workers who visited Rome in 1957. When situated along side the pennants of other participating nations, it symbolises the internationalism of the YCW movement.

International Schedule 1965 - Bangkok

Young Christian Workers (YCW Australia) Archive and Research Centre , Fitzroy North

Nine page typewritten and copied document on yellow paper

Historical information

From 1957, the International YCW held a world council every four years. This document is the proposed schedule for the Third World Council which was held in Bangkok in 1965.

Significance

The document offers a glimpse into the workings of the YCW on a global scale. It also explores the international campaigns and the and proposes an agenda and schedule for the fourteen day meeting comprising young delegates from all over the world.